


Showing Off

by steelfeet



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Courtship, Fist Fights, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Romance, Suggestive Themes, connor loves his husband very much but also thinks he is dumb, i mean the success of the courtship is debatable but, melvin just let dandolo love you, you're welcome and/or i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 19:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steelfeet/pseuds/steelfeet
Summary: Ian and Dandolo are doing--well, they're doing something, and Connor just wants to know why his husband is so ridiculous.





	Showing Off

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously considered naming this "????" I don't know where it came from, it popped into my head while I was working out after work and here we are. Is it even funny? I don't know! I did have fun writing it, though. Enjoy some shenanigans. 
> 
> Quick note: this is technically set in the "Feel the Fury" universe, which means all you need to know is that everyone is alive and in Noctis, the end.

Connor blinked slowly at the black technomancer jacket lying on the tile of the palace courtyard. Then he looked from the jacket to Ian's bare back, and back to the jacket on the tile again.

Not for the first time, he wondered about his taste in men. 

"Connor? Why is this...what are they _doing_?" Melvin asked, looking at the scene in front of them with the same amount of bewilderment that Connor felt. 

"I think they're fighting, but I don't know why," he replied weakly. 

Ian and Dandolo, not paying attention to the general air of confusion, began to circle each other in the palace courtyard. Both of them were shirtless and bare-knuckled, and a crowd was forming.

"You really think you can beat me, old man?" Dandolo asked. Connor was relieved at least to hear that his tone was sporting, not malicious. At least neither of the men were actually angry. 

But then _why were they fighting shirtless in the courtyard?_

"Why are Master Ian and Dandolo fighting shirtless in the courtyard?" Andrew asked, coming to stand beside Connor. 

"I don't _know_ ," Connor replied. 

"Don't let the grey hair fool you, your Highness," Ian retorted. "If you hadn't noticed, technomancers stay fit into old age."

"We'll see about that." Dandolo threw the first punch. 

Connor gasped and grabbed onto Andrew's arm instinctively, being that he was closest. Ian dodged the punch easily, and they began to spar in earnest.

Ian had always been one of the bulkier technomancers in Abundance's Source--their fast metabolism and their brutal lives on the front tended to keep technomancers lean--but he still retained a grace that Connor had always lacked. It was easy to get wrapped up in the action, watching the way Ian moved. And the way the sweat began to shine on those powerful shoulders...Connor found it distracting. 

"Uh, Connor? Are you OK? Are you having some kind of stroke?" 

The older man startled, coming back to the spot where he was standing with Andrew. His one-time pupil was looking at him with mild concern that turned into a knowing smirk when he saw Connor's blush. Andrew opened his mouth to say something, but--

"If you give me attitude Andrew, I swear I will--"

"What? Me? Give you attitude? _Never_ ," Andrew said, smirk growing into a grin as he said it. "I was just going to say, your husband is representing the technomancers pretty well."

Connor gave Andrew a Look, then turned to watch the rest of the fight. 

"You know, I don't even know why this is happening," he said. "Why me? Why do I have to have a husband who fights princes _bareknuckled_ in the middle of the desert? I could have just transferred from Ophir to pursue full-time study like the Order wanted me to all those years ago, but no, I decided to stay with the handsome charmer who brought me flowers every Foundation Day--"

"He brought you flowers every year? That's sweet."

"That's not the point! The point is, he's ridiculous!" 

"Dandolo isn't any better," Melvin grumbled to Connor's left. "He got me thirteen boxes of chocolates in one week. What is a person supposed to do with that much chocolate?"

At this, Andrew's expression had become positively gleeful. Connor attempted to keep the surprise and delight off of his own face, but he could feel himself smiling.

"Melvin! You and Dandolo?" 

Melvin's eyes widened, then darted to his companions. "...I didn't mean to say that out loud. I'm not--I've never done anything with anyone, ever. I mean--that's not what I meant." The normally buttoned-up technomancer's face was turning bright red as he tried to dig himself out of the hole he was in. "I'd never--I mean look at him, he's so--he's Dandolo?"

At this point, Andrew was pressing his entire face into Connor's shoulder to hide his laughter.

"Why is this my life?" Connor asked, looking up to the blue sky overhead. 

Appearing from nowhere (as she often did), Niesha patted him on the shoulder not being used by Andrew. "You truly have a heavy cross to bear." She tipped her chin in the direction of the fight. "Looks like your man's got this covered, though." 

She was right. A few moments later, Dandolo was on the ground, and after a few words were exchanged, Ian extended a hand to help him up. There was some applause from the crowd that had gathered before they began to disperse. 

Ian and Dandolo made their way over to Connor and Melvin. Connor crossed his arms and tried to look disapproving. It wasn't easy. 

Not with Ian's well-defined pecs on display, anyway. 

"What was _that_ about?" he asked once Ian was close enough. 

His husband's lips twitched upwards. "What, no victory kiss?"

"You insufferable--" Connor put a hand on the back of Ian's neck and got up on his toes, pulling him into a fierce kiss. Ian made a noise of surprise, which was gratifying, and kissed back with enthusiasm.

When they broke apart, they looked at each other for a moment, then Ian grabbed his jacket and Connor's hand and began pulling him in the direction of their quarters. Andrew wolf-whistled, earning a laugh from Ian. 

As they walked away, Connor overheard the exchange between Niesha and Dandolo.

"So, what _was_ that about?" 

"Oh, you know, Ian and I agreed that an excellent way to win over my sweetheart here was a good old-fashioned show of physical prowess." Melvin sputtered in response, but his bright red face suggested to Connor that the ploy had worked, and well.

"In that case, Andrew, let's leave these two lovebirds alone."

"You knew about them, didn't you, Niesha? And you didn't tell me? Are we even _friends_?"

As Andrew and Niesha's banter faded off into the distance, Connor turned to Ian. 

"If you were helping him show off, then why didn't you let him win?"

Ian winked. "Who says he was the only one showing off?"

_Insufferable man._


End file.
